Much equipment currently uses wedge-base incandescent lamps of a type similar to that depicted in FIG. 1 The lamps are constructed from a single glass vacuum tube housing (a) which includes a wedge-base (b). A filament (c) within the lamp is connected to wire electrical leads (d) which extend out of the glass housing and are wrapped around the base. The base is simply wedged into a socket to install the lamp. Spring metal contact strips in the socket make an electrical connection with the wire leads and hold the lamp in place. Wedge-base incandescent lamps are often preferred because they are inexpensive to build and can be made in very small sizes. The main part of the housing which encloses the filament ranges in diameter from 2 or 3 millimeters to 2 to 3 centimeters, depending on the application. Such incandescent lamps have a limited useful life so that replacement is frequently required, have a limited range of operating temperatures, and are easily broken. Both the glass housing and the filament within are fragile. This short life span and fragility are particularly troublesome when the lamp is mounted in a difficult-to-access location. The cost of the labor to replace a lamp is often several orders of magnitude greater than the cost of the lamp.